Apparatus for and method of producing colored nature papers



Nov. 27,1923. 1,475,923

T. M. ATKINSON A?PARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING COLORED NATUREPAPERS Filed Dec. 19. 1921 Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MERCER ATKINSON OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEROYSTON PAPER COMPANY, OF MILLTOWN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING COLORED NATURE PAPERS.

Application filed December 19, 1921.

and process of producing so-called hand-.

dipped colored papers commonly known as colored nature papers, thisapplicatlon being a continuatlon of my copending application Serial No-441,460, filed January 31, 1921. In order that the principles of my.invention may be clearly understood I Wlll describe one embodimentthereof selected for the purpose of illustration and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on a larger scale.

In producing colored paper of the type above referred to, particularlysuch as t e imported papers commonly known as Der Lieter papers, it hasheretofore been the ractice to hand-dip sheets of paper in a bath ofdye, each sheet being separately treated and hung for drying. Such amethod has many disadvantages, from which my'new process affords longsought-for relief, avoiding the great inconvemence and expense attendant upon the hand process.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown a frame-work indicated generallyat 1 comprising a series of spaced uprights 2, 2 suitably braced andarranged 1n pairs of unequal heights. The outer or left hand pair ofthese uprights has journaled therein a holder or unwinding roller 3which rotatablv supports the roll of uncolored paper 4, In each of theremaining pairs of said uprights 2, 2 is rotatably mounted one of theseries of stretcher or ironing rollers 5, 5. The strip or run of paper6drawn from the roll 4 is passed respectively under and over alternaterollers, which stretch the paper and iron out any unevenness orirregularity.

Beyond the innermost pair of said stretcher rollers is mounted the dyetank 7,

Serial No. 523,428.

is drawn is composed of aniline or other ye dissolved in a suitablesolvent, such as a]- cohol. To the solution is preferably .added a smallproportion of 'glycerine, approximately five per cent to give thedesired flexibility to the colored paper.

Adjacent the tank and at a level somewhat above it is a pair of pressurerollers 10 and 11 rotatably mounted in the uprights 12. These pressurerollers are referably formed of a hard, smooth-surfaced material such'asvulcanized rubber, fibre, or the like. best seen in Fig. 2, the upperpressure roller 10 is journaled at each end thereof in an adjustablebearing block 13 having the guides 14, 14 which are slidable inguideways in the said uprights 12. The cap 15 of each upright 12 isdrilled and screwthreaded to receive the adjusting screw 16, the innerend of which carries a head 17. A coiled spring 18 bears at one end uponthe bearing block 13 and at its other end upon the head 17. The upperroller 10 is thus adjustable toward and away from the lower roller 11,the pressure/between the two rollers being regulated by a turn of theadjusting screw 16f The amount of dye retained by the paper is thusregulatable, and consequently also the shade of color given the paperbya given dye solution and with a given rate of travel of the paper.

Extending upwardly from the inner end of the tank 7 to a point below thepressure rollers is an apron 19 which receives and returns to the tankall excess color squeezed out by the pressure rollers.

After passing through the bath of dye and between the pressure rollers10 and 11, the run of paper is led into a hot-air box or oven 20 inwhich it is completely dried. The air in said oven is maintained at aconstant heat by the inflow of heated air fromthe inlets 21, heated airbeing supplied from a suitable source, not shown. The oven is providedin its upper surface with a suitable outlet and exhaust pipe 22 forconducting away the foul air and gases. The colored paper travelscontinuously through the oven and passes above a roller 23 journaled inthe rear wall thereof. The extent and rate of travel and the degree ofheat are such that the paper has been entirely dried before arriving atsaid roller 23. It is thus apparent that the moist dyed paper afterleaving the pressure rollers 10 and 11 has no contact with any supportinor other surface until said paper has icon thoroughly dried.

Beyond the drying oven the run of dyed paper is passed through a seriesof cooling chambers 24. The air in said chambers is preferably kept inmotion by the blower 33 I to aid in the cooling. When the blower isemployed the chambers 24 desirably are provided with inter-communicatingopenings (not shown) in the lower portions thereof, the outer wall ofthe outermost chamber 24 having a similar opening for the exit of thecooling air. Each of said cooling chambers has rotatably mounted theremcooling chamber rollers 25 at the top and the bottom thereof. The striof paper is festooned about said cooling ro ers through successivechambers and is finally led out and wound upon the rewinding roller 26rotatably mounted in a suitable standard 27.

A suitable source of power such as an electric motor 28 is provided,having a driving connection shown as a belt 29 with a pulley upon theshaft of the lower pressure roller 11. Said pulley 30 also supports oneend of a belt 31 leading to the rewinder 26 and passing about a pulley32 coaxial with thesame. The rewinder and the pressure rollers are thusdriven at the same relative speed causing the run of paper to be drawnevenly at a constant rate past the ironing rollers 5, through the bathof dye, between the pressure rol ers, through the drying oven andsubsequently through the coolin bers until rewound upon the r01?finished condition.

Obviously, if desired, the dyed and cooled runof paper might be cut intosheets after leaving the cooling chambers, rather than rewound into rollform.

The paper resulting from the practice of my method has great brilliancyand depth of color, and is uniform in shade and tone throughout theentire length.

Having now clearly described my invention and the method involvingthesame, I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited tothe particular embodiment shown, but is commensurate in scope with thefollowing claims.-

I claim- 1. In an apparatus for producing colored nature papers, arotatable holder carrying a roll of uncolored strip paper, means fordrawing out the paper from the roll and cham- 26 in aavaeaa ironing thesame, a dye tank, a plurality of hard-surfaced pressure rollers betweenwhich the paper is passed after leavin the solution of dye, a boxconfining a y of heated air through which the paper travels free fromcontact with any supporting or other surface while said paper is wetwith dye, a series of rollers alternately over and under which the driedpaper is drawn, a winding roll upon which the finished paper is rewound,and means for rotating said pressure rollers and said winding roll atthe same relative s ed whereby the strip paper is continuous y fed at aconstant rate vof travel.

2. In an apparatus for producing colored nature papers, in which paperin strip form is drawn through a dye tank, a rotatable holder for anuncolored roll of said paper, a series of ironing rollers intermediatesaid holder and the tank, a plurality of hardsurfaced rollers forpressing out excess color, a hotair box in which the paper is driedbefore contact with any supportin or other surface after leaving saidhard-sur aced rollers, cooling chambers through which the dried coloredpaper is festooned, a rewinding roller, and means for rotating saidhardsurfaced rollers and said rewinding roller at the same relativespeed.

3. In an apparatus for producing colored nature papers in which a stripof uncolored paper is continuously fed from a roll, a series of ironingrollers, a dye tank through which the paper is drawn, pressure rollersfor removing excess dye from the paper, a hot-air box through which thepaper passes without contact with any surface while said paper is wetwith dye, cooling chambers through which the paper is festooned, and awinder for rewinding the dried and cooled colored paper.

4.- In an apparatus for producing colored nature papers in which a stripof uncolored paper is drawn from a roll, a series of ironing rollers 5,a tank 7, a pair of color-regulating pressure rollers 10, 11, a hot-airbox 20 for dryin the colored paper, cooling chambers 24 t rough whichthe dried paper is successively drawn and a winder 26 for rewinding thefinished paper.

5. The method of producing colored nature papers in roll form whichconsists in drawing out from a roll a strip of uncolored paper, inpassing said strip at a constant speed through a solution of dye mixedwith a small proportion of glycerine, in pressing from the paper the dyein excess of a pre-- determined amount, in completely drying thetravelling paper before it has contact with any supporting or othersurface, in subsequently cooling the dry dyed paper, and finally inwinding it into a roll.

6. The method of producing colored nature papers in roll form whichconsists in through a dye solution,

in removing and 5 preserving any excess dye solution above apredetermined amount, in pletely drying the pa through a body of heatesubsequently com per by passing it (1 air and before contact of saidpaper with any supporting or other surface, in subsequently cooling the1 dried colored paper, and finally in rewinding the paper into a roll.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS MERCER ATKINSON.

